CD Reviews

Ah ze life of ze tortured French Artiste!

A. Clark | Seattle, WA United States | 06/27/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This collection contains a variety of the band's works from the 80's. Like other self consciously tortured artists (i.e. Virgin Prunes) Clair Obscur is a hit or miss band. In their best moments, their dark, wry sense of style shadows contemporary music mocking all of the things you hold dear. At their worst they present an unlistenable mess, burdoned by their arrogant pretentiousness. This album showcases all of these elements. The first half of the album contains dark, post-punk dirges. The most notable song on this part of the album is "Froh" which sounds like it came straight off of a Bauhaus album. There is also an instrumental version of their utterly cold "hit" "Die Kinder Sind Allein". But mostly these are rough works that lead to the band's parody of modern life, shown on the second half of the album in fine form. Amongst these is the theatrical, bitter rant "Smurf in the Gulag" which is followed by the similarly brooding "Till the Morning Light". The album is closed out by one of their many versions of "Blume" featuring a tortured French Artiste singing to what sounds like a disco version of a Death In June song. Make of it what you will."